This invention relates generally to the field of separation of heterogeneous mixtures and, more particularly to a solid-liquid separating tank and system.
Many different areas of industry require the separation of heterogeneous mixtures. Production from wells in the oil and gas industry often contains particulates, such as sand. These particulates may be part of the formation from which the hydrocarbon is being produced, introduced particulates from hydraulic fracturing or fluid loss material from drilling mud fracturing fluids or from phase change of produced hydrocarbons caused by changing conditions, as the hydrocarbons are transported to the surface.
Various devices have been used to remove solids from production fluids. Solid materials have been removed from liquids by mechanical clarification, which is followed by sedimentation in a clarifier. Solid material may also be removed by filtration or sedimentation storage. Settlement tanks are used for sedimentation storage in oil production. These tanks are typically circular or rectangular structures that have sloped and horizontal bottoms, which collect and store the solid material as it settles from the liquid. The sloped bottom tanks are periodically drained and the solids that have accumulated on the bottom are flushed out through drains in the tank floor. Tanks with horizontal bottoms have hardened clumped solids that remain in the tanks for extended periods of time. The tank is drained and the solid paste is removed manually. Removal of the accumulated solid material is an important part of the oil production process; however, drainage of the tank slows production and increases cost